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Review
. 2022 Apr 1;77(4):872-878.
doi: 10.1093/gerona/glaa320.

Age, Multiple Chronic Conditions, and COVID-19: A Literature Review

Mayra Tisminetzky  1   2 , Christopher Delude  1 , Tara Hebert  1 , Catherine Carr  3 , Robert J Goldberg  1   4 , Jerry H Gurwitz  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Age, Multiple Chronic Conditions, and COVID-19: A Literature Review

Mayra Tisminetzky et al. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. .

Abstract

Background: Various patient demographic and clinical characteristics have been associated with poor outcomes for individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To describe the importance of age and chronic conditions in predicting COVID-19-related outcomes.

Methods: Search strategies were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE. Daily alerts were created.

Results: A total of 28 studies met our inclusion criteria. Studies varied broadly in sample size (n = 21 to more than 17,000,000). Participants' mean age ranged from 48 years to 80 years, and the proportion of male participants ranged from 44% to 82%. The most prevalent underlying conditions in patients with COVID-19 were hypertension (range: 15%-69%), diabetes (8%-40%), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (4%-61%), chronic pulmonary disease (1%-33%), and chronic kidney disease (range 1%-48%). These conditions were each associated with an increased in-hospital case fatality rate (CFR) ranging from 1% to 56%. Overall, older adults have a substantially higher case fatality rate (CFR) as compared to younger individuals affected by COVID-19 (42% for those <65 vs 65% > 65 years). Only one study examined the association of chronic conditions and the risk of dying across different age groups; their findings suggested similar trends of increased risk in those < 65 years and those > 65 years as compared to those without these conditions.

Conclusions: There has been a traditional, single-condition approach to consideration of how chronic conditions and advancing age relate to COVID-19 outcomes. A more complete picture of the impact of burden of multimorbidity and advancing patient age is needed.

Keywords: COVID-19; Epidemiology; Multimorbidity.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Prevalence of number of comorbidities reported by study.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Prevalence of individual chronic conditions reported by study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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